With December school holidays around the corner, be warned of the “MOM, I’M BORED!” tantrums that are sure to come. So, if tiring out your little one - just in time to catch the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy- is what you’re in need of, trampoline parks are the perfect activity. But be warned, you just might want to join in on the fun too.
Whether it’s for fitness or family fun, there’s something for everyone. Trampoline parks consist of interconnected trampolines, that stretch from wall to wall and offer a safe zone to jump to your heart’s content. Often they are decked out with awesome features like foam pits to dive into and hoops to slam dunk. Not only is it fun, but the benefits are astounding.
Kandi Sillwood, Social Media Marketing at Jump 4 Joy in KwaZulu-Natal, shared the health benefits created by jumping on trampolines:
- Improves your lymphatic system
- It’s low impact exercising so there is less strain on joints
- Improves your cardiovascular system
- Increases muscular strength and development
- Improves coordination and balance
- Reduces stress levels
- Improves mental health as it has the ability to take you from a place of unhappiness to a place of joy.
- Fact from NASA Studies proves that, jumping on trampolines for only 10 minutes is equivalent to running for a full 30 minutes.
If that doesn’t convince you, jumpers from around the country shared their first impressions of visiting a trampoline park.
For Merushka Ghazi, 20, from Durban, it’s the perfect place to unwind with friends and connect with family. “I heard a lot about trampoline parks and wanted to go and experience it for myself. At Jump 4 Joy, the atmosphere was exhilarating with lots of eager kids ready to jump.The staff were welcoming and helpful too. Music played as we jumped which made the young one's screams of joy a little lighter on one's ears. I think it's a great place to spend time with younger family members as well as a nice change of scenery to socialize in, unwind and have fun while getting a bit of exercise in,” she said.
It’s the perfect spot for toddlers to tumble said, Kerry Rosser, 33, from Cape Town. “I chose to go to Rush after it was recommended by colleagues with children aged between three to nine years. The vibe during toddler hour is great and age appropriate,” she said. Trampoline parks often have dedicated time slots or jumping areas for kids under a certain age. “The toddler time slot allows the younger children to build their confidence on the trampolines and other activities without the bigger children being overwhelming. The variety available is great as both parents and children enjoy everything from the foam pit to the general trampoline area. We have been at least five times with my daughter and plan on returning as we have always enjoyed it,” said Rosser.
There to enjoy the action was Stavios Ngoy, 20, from Cape Town who visited Rush. “What made me go was a friend of mine who went there and told me it's an awesome place to practice parkour [the activity or sport of moving rapidly through an area, typically in an urban environment, negotiating obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing] and learn new tricks. I was interested based on what he showed me so we booked a day there and it was amazing, I was blown away,” he said.
Trampoline parks make entertaining over a dozen kids easy, said Zoelfaqaar van der Hoven, 43, from Cape Town. The father of two said, “My experience at Rush was awesome and the my sons loved the activity. It's a safe environment with friendly staff assisting, making sure everybody is safe and even showing you how maximise your fun. As a dad, it was a hectic workout, and too much fun. Our second visit was with the entire extended family consisting of about 15 kids and 10 adults. We will be back to this awesome indoor activity,” he said.
Giju Varghese, 50, visited Flip.d in Johannesburg with his two daughters. “Took my two daughters and their friend the day before my eldest daughter’s 14th birthday. The three had a fantastic time, it set the mood for the birthday the next day. The crew were awesome and made the experience absolutely fabulous,” she said.
It’s the perfect activity for stressed out university students, said Kyle Ticka, 21, from Durban. “I enjoyed the hour very much, I think the different games that you can play with the different people (big, small, boy, girl) made the experience completely unique. But I know the experience would not be as great had I not gone with as many friends. If people are chilled they’ll be open to letting their inner child shine through. It's honestly one of the only places that you feel zero stress - just like a kid,” he said.
Browse this list of some of the trampoline parks around the country:
Jump Around
jumparound.co.za
Eiland, Cape Town
Opening hours:
9am-9pm
- Basketball: If you’ve always fancied yourself to be a slam dunk expert but never quite had the height or spring to fulfil your dreams then this is for you.
- Dodgeball on trampolines:this brings a whole new dimension to the game giving you another dimensions to dodge that ball. Two teams line up against each other on a field of trampolines with angled trampoline walls to face off with foam balls. The rules are simple: if you hit an opponent with a ball they are out.
- Foam pit: practice your aerial skills and flip your way into the “Foam Pit”. Enjoy the freedom of flight landing into a pit of 7000 foam cubes. The foam pit is where you can practice your aerial tricks or simply enjoy bouncing into the air and landing in a soft cushion of foam cubes.
- Freejump: this is the main area of the park with over 50 interconnected trampolines that go wall to wall.
- Soccer: Team up with four of your friends and go head to head with the goalie with a twist. Being in goal means you can bounce your way to block the shot headed your way.
The kid’s birthday special starts at R2400.00 for the first 12 kids. Party goers will have access to jump for Onehour with 45 minutes in the party room but still have access to the trampoline arena. A minimum party party of 12 children is applicable for online private party bookings. The special is inclusive of pizzas, drinks and snacks.
Flip.d
flipdsa.com
Lonehill, Johannesburg
Opening hours:
Monday - Friday: 9am - 6pm
Saturday: 8am - 7pm
Sunday: 8am - 6pm
Public Holidays: 8am - 6pm
Flipd offers the following:
- 160m2 interlinked trampolines, jump from one to the other in our general jumping area.
- Dodgeball court where you bring your best dodge, bob and weaving skills to avoid being hit by a dodgeball.
- Basket ball hoops with 4 different heights, the highest being standard height for professional basketball players.
- Tumble track to show off your combos you have learned at flip.d
- Toddler space for all the flip.d'sters who are under 5 years of age
- Ten metre high climbing wall with various difficulty levels
Flip.d’s party package starts at R195 per partygoer. It includes Onehour access to jump area and free jumping socks for each child. A Designated Party leader will be provided to supervise the event which will take place in the “Crib” party room with seating (for 45min after jumping session).
Party treats includes:
- One happy.me Bubble Tea/Bottled water per child
- 40g Packet of Chips per child
- 75g Packet of sweets per child
- 35g Chocolate per child
- Gift from the flip.d Crew for the birthday child
- One Monday-Thursday Entrance voucher for the Guest of honour
- One Wall climb voucher for the Guest of honour
Jump 4 Joy
www.j4j.co.za
Durban North and Waterfall, KwaZulu-Natal
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday: 12pm – 6pm
Friday: 12pm – 9am
Saturday: 9am – 9pm
Sunday: 9am – 6pm
Public holidays: Open
• Over 40 Interconnected Trampolines
• Foam Pit
• Basketball slam dunk
• Dodgeball Court
For parties, prepare for a high-flying, great time. Our party flight attendants are here to assist you with the setup and do the clean-up. Party Terminals can accommodate up to 36 guests. Each terminal has its own serving counter and a clean-up area nearby.
You may bring your own cake, refreshments and decorations.
Package one starts at R150.00 two hours and includes:
• One Hour Jump Time on the Open Jump Area
• Use of Party Room for additional hour after jumping
• One Slush Puppy, One Bag of Popcorn
EXCLUDES J4J Non-Slip Socks
iJUMP
ijump-trampoline.co.za
East Rand Mall and Clear Water Crossing, Johannesburg
Opening hours: 9am- 7pm
- Foam pits that provide an awesome longer length trampoline for the run up before you leap into the air and land safely in our foam blocks.
- Dodgeball is action packed and played atop the all-trampoline walled court, you can dip, dodge, duck, dive and jump your way to becoming a Dodgeball champ.
- Extreme area for when you want to take things to the next level with three super performance trampolines that provide massive surface area for extra height and bounce and are the ultimate platform for more advanced trampoline tricks.
- Slam dunk basketball hoops area provides launch pads that bounce you high into the air.
iJUMP has a variety of exciting kids party packages to choose from. Packages start at R180 per person and range from the Bronze to the Gold party package so you can choose which suits you best.
Every iJUMP party includes:
Onehour of trampoline fun.
- A dedicated party leader – to ensure your guests are having the MOST fun possible!
- A pair of awesome iJUMP grip socks!
- A private party room for 45min – that you may decorate to suit your party theme.
- A printed photo of the party group in an iJUMP frame!
- A special gift for the Guest of Honour.
- They allow a birthday cake as well as party sweeties to be brought in for guests who have a scheduled party. All other food and drinks are strictly prohibited.
Rush
www.rushsa.co.za
Claremont, Cape Town and Greenstone, Johannesburg
Monday- Thursday: 10am-9pm
Friday: 9am-10pm
Saturday: 9am-10pm
Sunday: 9am-8pm
- Open jumping
- Foam Pit
- Dodgeball
- Battle beam and fidget ladder
- Basketball
- Toddler time
The Rush party prices start at R275 for one hour jump and two hour jump at R340 per party jumper during the week (Monday-Thursday). The Rush Weekend (Friday-Sunday) package costs R300 per party jumper and the party packages include:
- One hour jump pass per jumper
- One pair of socks per jumper
- One 250ml Slush Puppy per jumper
- One small can of Pringles – Original flavour per jumper
- One kiddies Debonairs pizza per jumper
- One Rush Yo-Yo per jumper
- One Rush Tumbler with straw per jumper
- One hour and 45 Minutes party room access
- Unlimited tea and coffee for the parents
- Private host and Assistant
- One birthday Gift and Voucher (for guest of honour/s only)
- Toddler party- 4 years and under (Mon-Fri and Sun)- R330 per party jumper
- One hour Jump Pass for toddler and parent/guardian
- 2 Pairs of jump socks
- Juice
- Kit-Kat chocolate
- Flings chips
- One Rush Frisbee per jumper
- One Rush Tumbler with straw per jumper
- One hour and 45 Minutes party room access
- Unlimited tea and coffee for the parents
- Private host and Assistant
- One birthday Gift and Voucher (for guest of honour/s only)
Bounce
www.bounceinc.co.za
Opening hours:
Times vary according to venue
Fourways Mall, Waterfall Lifestyle Centre and Menlyn Maine
- Free-Jump arena
- Slam Dunk
- Dodgeball
- High Performance
- Big Bag
- The Wall
- Cliff Jump
- Super Tramp
There are three different party package options available at Bounce:
- Junior Jumper Party: This is reserved for 3-5 year olds. Junior Jumper Parties allow the little ones a special area where they are kept away from the older jumpers, allowing them to go about their party at their own pace.
- Kids Party: Ideally suited for kids between 5 and 12 years old.
- Off the wall party: Ideally suited for jumpers aged 12 years and older.
Each package includes (minimum of ten jumpers):
- Official BOUNCE grips socks for everyone
- 2 hours of free-jumping mayhem
- Up to 45 minutes access to your very own party room
- A dedicated party host to guide you through all the action: including X-Park, Dodgeball, Slam Dunk, Free-jump, Big Bag and Performance areas
- Customisable food options to fuel your crew, packed in a cool BOUNCE party box
- Reserved area for party parents to watch the kids having a blast. Platters can be pre-booked and enjoyed in the reserved area
- 5 coffees for parents
- A pass for the birthday boy / girl’s next visit (redeemable Mon-Fri)
- 3 printed photo-booth pictures of your party squad having a great time
- Any questions on Kosher or Halaal food options, call our bookings Contact Centre on 012 942 1117